Know you guinea pig, know your poo
I think stress or nervousness could cause a fluxuation in stool, or a fluxuation in eating habits which obviously contribute to stool consistency. I don't think stress would cause diarrhea or really soft stool, softer stool, my guess is yes, but not a huge change unless you have seen an eating change along with the stress.
Thanks everyone for the pellet info. that was something I have never considered as I give my pigs a strict amount every morning and have never waivered. I may try cutting down to see what happens. I have one pig with on and off soft stool and my piggy that died of cancer (we tried everything) had huge issues with stool consistency. Thanks, L
Thanks everyone for the pellet info. that was something I have never considered as I give my pigs a strict amount every morning and have never waivered. I may try cutting down to see what happens. I have one pig with on and off soft stool and my piggy that died of cancer (we tried everything) had huge issues with stool consistency. Thanks, L
Lynx - may I suggest that this be somehow condensed and turned into a sticky? I had to do a search to find this thread and it took me a while to remember the key words.
Also, it seems most of the posts are about soft poos. Not a problem, but Olive seems to be having small poos lately and I'm wondering what that's about? She's on motility drugs right now - she has this odd shaped belly. It makes her head look kind of funny being on a body with a tummy like hers. (yes, she was seen by the vet. It's not bloat, but he did put her on motility meds)
Also, it seems most of the posts are about soft poos. Not a problem, but Olive seems to be having small poos lately and I'm wondering what that's about? She's on motility drugs right now - she has this odd shaped belly. It makes her head look kind of funny being on a body with a tummy like hers. (yes, she was seen by the vet. It's not bloat, but he did put her on motility meds)
- Lynx
- Celebrate!!!
Small poops typically mean a guinea pig is not eating enough. An odd shaped belly, if it is distended, could indicate distended intestines but I think then you'd see clumpy poops.
I can make this a temporary sticky. The idea is actually to get all the info we can and add it to the guide in some way with a link back to this thread.
I can make this a temporary sticky. The idea is actually to get all the info we can and add it to the guide in some way with a link back to this thread.
Every once in a while I'll see slightly smaller poops (~75% the size of normal ones) in the cage. They aren't oddly shaped just a tiny bit smaller. I'm not sure of the cause but I know they have to be coming from one of the girls. They never appear to have any health issues that I can tell and at a minimum have access to hay and fresh water at all times. I'll see if I can get a comparison shot.
Wenton - I adopted Olive from a rescue in Maryland. They thought she had permanently scarred lungs, and were giving her nebulizer treatments (which they told me would be for the rest of her life). They thought she was about 1 1/2 to 2 years old. Intact female. I just copied this post (since I wrote it) from Olive's medical thread here:
"We just returned from Olive's vet appointment and I am very glad we did!
Xrays were taken. Olive's lungs are very clear - not a shadow anywhere. Her heart is ever so slightly enlarged. Dr. D. believes the noise is coming from her throat area. She sounds like she has a bunch of phlegm in her throat that she can't clear. He believes the nebulizer treatments will just make this worse, since she already has excess moisture in her mouth that she can't handle.
He called it "pharyngeal dysfunction". On the xray there was also something unusually shaped right at the place where her spine meets her skull. The shape of it was a bit off. It would be straight behind her throat.
He thinks she probably has some sort of neurological issues that make it difficult for her to use her pharynx properly, hence the extra moisture. There was some evidence of drool in the corners of her lips. Teeth check out okay.
She should be fine for quite some time, though at some point the dysfunction could progress, leaving it more and more difficult for her to swallow, risking aspiration, etc.
For now he gave he cicipro and believes that will help significantly. And NO MORE Nebulizer!!"
Here she is:
"We just returned from Olive's vet appointment and I am very glad we did!
Xrays were taken. Olive's lungs are very clear - not a shadow anywhere. Her heart is ever so slightly enlarged. Dr. D. believes the noise is coming from her throat area. She sounds like she has a bunch of phlegm in her throat that she can't clear. He believes the nebulizer treatments will just make this worse, since she already has excess moisture in her mouth that she can't handle.
He called it "pharyngeal dysfunction". On the xray there was also something unusually shaped right at the place where her spine meets her skull. The shape of it was a bit off. It would be straight behind her throat.
He thinks she probably has some sort of neurological issues that make it difficult for her to use her pharynx properly, hence the extra moisture. There was some evidence of drool in the corners of her lips. Teeth check out okay.
She should be fine for quite some time, though at some point the dysfunction could progress, leaving it more and more difficult for her to swallow, risking aspiration, etc.
For now he gave he cicipro and believes that will help significantly. And NO MORE Nebulizer!!"
Here she is:
- Regiane
- Cavy Slave Since '08
Here's my contribution.
Normal and beautiful poop from my young healthy pig Faísca versus strange poops from my 4 years old heart pig Pantufinha.
The first strange poop have some dried mucus on it. I'd love to hear more about it, especially about malabsorption and so. She's dealing with strange teeth issues right now and I don't know what to think.
Normal and beautiful poop from my young healthy pig Faísca versus strange poops from my 4 years old heart pig Pantufinha.
The first strange poop have some dried mucus on it. I'd love to hear more about it, especially about malabsorption and so. She's dealing with strange teeth issues right now and I don't know what to think.